Low- light star

Here’s a camera that automatically takes a picture when you smile, and adjusts the exposure according to the type of lighting.

Here's a camera that automatically takes a picture when you smile, and adjusts the exposure according to the type of lighting.

Sony's new range of digital cameras and camcorder features the Exmor R sensor and a bunch of innovative features that make photography easy. The all-black Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 is the latest compact digital camera by Sony that promises outstanding low-light performance.

This camera weighs only 148 g (with battery). The most striking features are the 5x optical zoom lens with a focal length of 24 mm at the widest angle and 720p video capturing capability.

Features
There is a long list of features of Cyber-shot DSC-WX1, of which we will look into a few. The camera is targeted towards those who want one that's compact, powerful and easy to use at the same time.
The face detection and smile shutter features come in handy. With the smile shutter option enabled, the camera automatically takes the picture when the subject smiles.
It also automatically detects the type of scene and adjusts the exposure accordingly. To make shooting in low light a breeze, Sony had added the anti-motion blur and hand-held twilight modes that ensure you get steady shots in low light.

The camera seamlessly captures videos at 720p (1280x720) at 30 fps, which is very respectable for a compact digital camera. The playback mode also offers options for printing images (using PictBridge) and retouching them. You can shoot 80 min of video at 720p or 830 photos (10.2 MP) with 4 GB of bundled storage.

Performance
The tiny little WX1 is a great performer both during the day as well as at night. The reproduction of colour and details is excellent in well-lit conditions.
The camera also auto-adjusts to macro mode. The image stabilisation and low light performance deserve a special mention. As soon as you lock the focus, the image stabiliser springs into action. It's so good that you can capture blur-free shots at shutter speeds as low as 1/10th of a second.

The quality of video recording is also good. The only quirk that may need attention is the heating up of the device after prolonged usage — capture around 25 shots and it feels uncomfortable.